1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel process for preparing 5-fluoro-1,3-dialkyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl fluorides, a valuable intermediate for the preparation of fungicides, from the corresponding 5-chloro-1,3-dialkyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl chlorides.
2. Description of Related Art
It is already known that 5-fluoro-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl fluoride is obtained by reacting 5-chloro-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl chloride with potassium fluoride in the presence of a diluent, preferably sulpholane (cf. EP-A 0 776 889). One disadvantage of this process is the low space-time yield, as a result of which the process can be realized only with difficulty on the industrial scale. Secondly, the sulpholane can be removed from the product by distillation only with difficulty. In view of these limitations and disadvantages, there is a need for an improved process for the preparation of 5-fluoro-1,3-dialkyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl fluorides, by means of which the disadvantages intrinsic to the known processes, in particular high reaction temperatures and long reaction times, are avoided, and the desired fluorides are additionally obtained in good to very good yield at low reaction temperatures and relative short reaction times.
It is known that the halex reaction can sometimes be improved by addition of phase transfer-catalysts (PTC). The phase transfer catalysts used to date have been quaternary alkylammonium, alkylphosphonium, pyridinium, amidophosphonium, 2-azaallenium, carbophosphazenium and diphosphazenium salts (EP-A 1 266 904). The direct comparison of different catalysts shows that there are no general rules for the successful performance of a halex reaction. The fine adjustments with regard to solvent, solution, temperature, additives and process have to be performed individually for each substance (cf. J. Fluor. Chem. 2004, 125, 1031-1038).
It is also known that the water should be removed substantially from the reaction mixture for the success of the fluorination. For these purposes, azeotropic drying in the presence of toluene or chlorobenzene is utilized in production. This is particularly important in the case of fluorination of acid chlorides, in order to prevent the hydrolysis of the acid chloride group. The fluorination of 5-chloro-1,3-dialkyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl chlorides in polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEG) with a boiling point of over 250° C. could be highly advantageous, since the product would be distillable directly out of the reaction mixture. Commercial PEGs contain typically different amounts water (typically 0.6 to 2%). In order to remove water, the PEG is dried azeotropically, so that the content of water (Karl Fischer) fell below 0.1%. The solvent was used for the fluorination of 5-chloro-1,3-dialkyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carbonyl chlorides (in-house results).